COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (September 12, 2009) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women’s volleyball team fell to 4-4 on the season after dropping a pair of matches during the first day of competition at the 2009 Molten Volleyball Colorado College Invitational in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Ducks began the day with a hard-fought, 3-2 (25-22, 14-25, 25-18, 20-25, 17-15), loss to No. 14 University of Puget Sound before falling to tournament host No. 15 Colorado College, 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-15), in the nightcap.
Junior outside hitter Sarah Byrne totaled 28 kills and 23 digs on the day, while freshman outside hitter Maggie Kowalska tallied 17 kills in two matches. Junior setter Sara Budar finished with 55 assists, while junior libero Julia Reilly had 31 digs.
Stevens will resume play at the Colorado College Tournament at 10 a.m. (MST) against McMurry University before wrapping up tournament play against Keuka College at 4 p.m. (MST).
No. 14 Puget Sound 3, Stevens 2 (25-22, 14-25, 25-18, 20-25, 17-25)
After dropping a closely-contested first set, 25-22, the Ducks rebounded to win the second set, 25-14. The Loggers would win the pivotal third set, 25-18, but Stevens would knot the score at two sets a piece with a 25-20 triumph in the fourth set before Puget Sound edged out a 17-15 victory in the fifth and final set.
Byrne amassed 22 kills, 16 digs, and seven blocks, while junior outside hitter Maggie Majcher totaled 11 kills and 15 digs in a losing effort. Kowalska registered 12 kills and four blocks, with fellow newcomers Brittany Fuller and Michelle Plotzker combining for 10 kills and 11 blocks. Reilly finished with a team-high 25 digs, while Budar collected 44 assists and 10 digs while directing the Stevens attack.
No. 15 Colorado College 3, Stevens 0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-15)
The Ducks fell to 4-4 on the season after suffering a 3-0 loss to tournament host No. 15 Colorado College, which improved to 7-1 on the season. Byrne paced Stevens with a team-high six kills and seven digs, while Kowalska added five kills. Budar finished the match with 11 assists, with Reilly recording six digs.
Tigers’ sophomore Meredith Ballard (Libertyville, Ill.) finished with a match-high nine kills, while junior middle blocker Emily Perkins (Plano, Texas) registered eight kills and seven blocks. Sophomore Sarah Schmoker (Omaha, Neb.) and freshman Laura Goldsmith (Pacific Palisades, Calif.) each finished with six kills apiece, while sophomore setter Amy Schornack (Plano, Texas) tallied a match-high 19 assists.
